Verona have climbed out of the relegation zone and are just one point behind Lecce now after their first away victory in over a year with substitute Cyril Ngonge’s strike.
Recent results had made this a crucial showdown to avoid the drop, as Cremonese were revitalised and dragging Spezia back towards the bottom three. Hellas as always had a lot of injury problems, missing Kevin Lasagna, Thomas Henry and Ardian Hrustic after their 6-0 defeat to Inter midweek.
There was a huge opportunity for the visitors within 90 seconds, as Darko Lazovic got down the left and stood up a cross for Milan Djuric, whose header thumped the crossbar.
Djuric threatened again with a looping header that Wladimiro Falcone somehow managed to claw out of the far top corner, while Lorenzo Montipò was not pleased with the poor Adrien Tameze back-pass.
Federico Di Francesco’s acrobatic overhead kick was off target on the stroke of half-time and Alexander Blin just failed to connect with Remi Oudin’s header.
Di Francesco turned over after a rapid spin and Falcone was again alert on an Oliver Abdilgaard header from a corner.
Verona took the lead somewhat against the run of play with a solo effort from substitute Cyril Ngonge, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes when he surged forward and unleashed a low rocket that bent into the far bottom corner.
Montipò made a simply extraordinary save to fingertip William Banda’s angled drive onto the far post one-on-one, though it wouldn’t have counted for offside anyway.
Gabriel Strefezza had penalty appeals waved away, as he seemed to run into Isak Hien, while Montipò made another fine save on Banda’s curler that was going into the far bottom corner.
Lecce 0-1 Verona
Ngonge 71 (V)
Player statistic
| 19' |  |
Davide Faraoni | ||
| Morten Hjulmand | |
22' | ||
| 35' | |
Oliver Abildgaard |
| 52' | |
Giangiacomo Magnani | ||
| 71' |  |
Cyril Ngonge (Assist: Milan Djuric) | ||
| Rémi Oudin | |
79' | ||
| 82' | |
Lorenzo Montipò | ||
| 86' | |
Cyril Ngonge |
Match statistic
